Don't just throw them away...

jockettuk

my dad who hoards everything as he says one day might need it.. had to throw some jars out as they got to over 50 lol but he had what seemed like hundreds of plastic carrier bags so he stuffed his cushion covers with them.. rustled a bit but were in fact really comfortable lol ..

Lillibet_2

(Re?) Use Egg shells : Place empty shells in a small watering can of cold water overnight then use the water to fertalize house plants next morning. Remove egg shells & crush & use to deter slugs from around veggie plants etc in the garden :P. My allotment-award-winning Grandads swore by this method all their lives.

mattt44

I shred all my junk mail and compost it, same with my teabags and every possible thing in the house. When we go out to friends for dinner I'll bring home the veg peelings to compost.
Always pee on my compost heap.

Left over food goes to the chickens, their poo goes on the compost heap.

The shredded paper helps grass clippings compost if you mix them up. All in, you'll have some great compost to help you grow your own food.

Would have a compost toilet if I was allowed....

I've always been this way, I'm 33 now and was forcing my parents to compost as much as possible when I was 13.

cathy_3

(Re?) Use Egg shells : Place empty shells in a small watering can of cold water overnight then use the water to fertalize house plants next morning. Remove egg shells & crush & use to deter slugs from around veggie plants etc in the garden :P.  My allotment-award-winning Grandads swore by this method all their lives.

been doing this and my petunias are enormous ;D ;D

mennie

I use cornflakes packets and other thin card as postcards for entering competitions.

I save most junk mail and use for scrap paper ie shopping lists or address labels for things I sell on ebay/amazon.

Goes without saying I save all jiffy bags. Even manage to reuse most envelope by sticking scrap label over top.

cath-w

For those of you why buy cereals take the plastic, waxy, cereal packet liner cut the ends off so it opens out flat, wash and you have waxed paper for wrapping sandwiches in. They can be washed again and again.

When eating brocolli take the stalk you would normally throw away. Turn it upside down and look at the bottom bit. You will see the stalk has a softer, inner white area. Peel the harder, greener stalk until you get to the inner white area. Wash and then freeze. Collect several stalks in this way. When you have enough slice the stalks and cook them (steam or boil), cook a potatoe and a bit of onion. Stick it all in a blender and make brocolli soup for pennies.

If you eat butter save the wrapper from the butter in the fridge. Use it at a later date to grease baking trays etc.

C.

halloweenqueen_2

Those 2l milk containers also make good scoops, leave the handle on and cut the other side in a diagonal line, cutting off the 'neck' at the same time, learnt this tip froma chinese takeaway they used these type of scoops for chips!

16011996

i take all my used stamps to the blind 8) home, they make money from them somehow. also friends never write on or seal envelopes they send to me (unless posting) so i get lots of envelopes to reuse from xmas, birthdays etc. Also cut out my name and addresses off old letters and use as return addresses on anything i post. rest of envelope gets recycled as paper. old carrier bags go the charity shop, they always need them. i always keep any drinks bottles i buy when out, then the kids have them reused with juice in (esp those with pop top things). old baked bean tins with labels soaked off make cool pencil holders for the kids felt tips, crayons etc.

sat on compost bin in dark last night but just couldn't pee. ::)

Shona_3

Pee in jar/ bottle/milk carton then discreetly sprinkle on the next day... Our heap got the biggest boost ever when we had our toilet fixed as it was two days of buckets only!
Love all these ideas.
We've started using grease proof paper instead of plastic sandwich bags, much better for the environment, but I love the cereal packet idea best, def going to start doing this, and the envelopes in the bin.

Rachie_B

ooh some fab ideas here